Perceived stress and burnout syndrome in chiropractic students at a South African university during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Objective: Higher stress levels may be associated with decreased academic success and physical and psychological well-being in chiropractic students. This study aimed to determine the perceived stress and burnout of chiropractic students at the University of Johannesburg during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This was a quantitative, exploratory study utilizing a self-administered online questionnaire distributed to chiropractic students (n = 246) at the university. The questionnaire consisted of 3 main components: demographics, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Student Survey (MBI-SS). Data were analyzed utilizing exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach alpha for reliabilities, and descriptive statistics for mean scores being interpreted using sub-scales pertaining to the 2 survey tools. Results: The response rate was 63.82% (n = 157) with the PSS-10 indicating participants obtained a total mean score of 25.08 (average stress). For the MBI-SS categories, participants scored 18.96 out of 30 for exhaustion, 10.31 out of 30 for cynicism, and 22.46 out of 36 for professional efficiency; higher scores of exhaustion and cynicism and lower scores of professional efficiency are indicative of higher degrees of burnout. Statistically significant differences for both tools were noted in relation to age and academic year with higher values indicated with increased age and progression in the program. Conclusion: The results indicate that chiropractic students experienced moderate levels of stress but higher burnout than other health sciences student populations when compared to current literature. Age and progression in the program appear to have a negative influence on both these factors.